Construction begins on temporary bus stops for Phoenix Park shuttle bus pilot

Construction of temporary bus stops along Chesterfield Avenue in the Phoenix Park begins today (28 August 2023) and will last approximately four weeks.

A key recommendation from the Phoenix Park Transport and Mobility Options Study commissioned by the Office of Public Works (OPW) in July 2021 was to provide a public bus linking the Phoenix Park to other modal hubs to facilitate active travel.

Working closely with the National Transport Authority (NTA), Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council, the OPW has explored options for realising this key recommendation. The NTA recently confirmed that it would be in a position to provide a pilot bus service from Heuston Station to the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre and the OPW has appointed Hegarty Building Contractors to undertake the construction of temporary bus stops along Chesterfield Avenue and at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre.

There will be a total of seven stops within the Phoenix Park, with stops at Dublin Zoo, Phoenix Roundabout, Phoenix Park Visitor Centre and at the People’s Gardens, Parkgate Street Entrance.

Traffic management will be in place for the duration of these works so those travelling through the park should expect slight delays.

Signage will be erected to direct cyclists, walkers and car users around the temporary works.

Once the necessary infrastructure is in place, a new bus route – bus number 99, with the two numerals resembling the Phoenix Park’s initials – will be operated by Dublin Bus from later this autumn, offering a daily shuttle bus service from 9am to 6.30pm. Further details will be made available by the NTA closer to the launch of the service.

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For further information, please contact the Press Office at pressoffice@opw.ie

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Notes

About the Phoenix Park

The Phoenix Park is located at the western edge of Dublin City Centre, just north of the River Liffey. The parkland extends to over 700ha and is enclosed by 11km of perimeter wall. It is a historic, natural and cultural landscape of significant international importance. At the same time, it is a diverse recreational space enjoyed by millions of visitors.

The Phoenix Park has in excess of 25km of roads, 17km of cycle lanes and 27km of footpaths.

Main attractions are the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre Complex (2 million visitors in 2022) and Dublin Zoo (1.2 million visitors in 2022).

About the Phoenix Park Transport and Mobility Options Study and the Shuttle Bus Pilot

The Phoenix Park Transport and Mobility Options Study Post Consultation Report, published in July 2021, sets out a series of recommendations for how park visitors will access, experience and move within the Phoenix Park while protecting the public and park environment.

It makes a number of recommendations to reduce commuter traffic and speed, to increase the cycling and pedestrian opportunities and to provide for limited public transport.

It also takes into account the complex issues the Park presents given the multiple and competing users of the space.

The report can be accessed below:

Phoenix Park Transport and Mobility Options Study - Post Consultation Report July 2021

This Post-Consultation Report aims to set out how the public consultation process was managed, how many people interacted with the public consultation, and summarise the issues and concerns raised throughout the public consultation process. Key outcomes and next steps are set out in this report.

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